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<br />together; that is your choice, I think you should think
<br />about it otherwise.'
<br />
<br />GAO recommended Congress placll<,a moratorium
<br />on all CVP contract renewals, while temporarily
<br />extending existing contracts, and then amend the
<br />1956 Act to explicitly allow the Bureau to periodically
<br />assess water use and renew contracts for lesser
<br />quantities of water and shorter periods of time.
<br />Otherwise, GAO stated the Bureau's ability to manage
<br />emerging concerns will be limited and the Bureau
<br />cannot decide whether or not alternative contract
<br />provisions would provide better water management.
<br />
<br />Congressman Miller also decried abuse of the
<br />federa,l wllter sy.slem saying, 'We must recognize the
<br />,value ofthiscommodity.ltwill be the most important
<br />c(;lffiffiodity in the future of the West..... He-said
<br />further, 'The collective capacity in this room, and the
<br />knowledge on these issues dictate that
<br />you..,be...architect(s) of change.... We on the Interior
<br />Committee...stand ready to undertake
<br />the...decisions,..that must be made for the future of
<br />water resources in the West. We hope that that will
<br />be in partnership and not as adversaries.'
<br />
<br />WATER QUAUIY
<br />
<br />Wetlands
<br />
<br />The Association of State Wetland Managers
<br />(ASWM) has circulated a proposed amendment to the
<br />Clean Water Act (CWA) entitled, 'State and Local
<br />Wetlands and Watershed Management Act of 1991.'
<br />It would add a new provision to the CWA, a 'non-404
<br />section that would accompany the Clean Lakes and
<br />'Estuaries' sections.' Unlike Section 404, according
<br />to a background paper on the bill, 'which has almost
<br />entirely a federal focus,' the bill 'focuses on state and
<br />10oal;'l'cjIEls\Git'j "wetlai:1dplan'ning:; iagulation, and
<br />manilgeihentin watershed ,contexts, some changes
<br />in Section 404(g) would be needed with regard to
<br />stateiiS$urnPlIMYof Section' 404 P9wers to place It
<br />in Iinewltlli'thls'Abt, dtfieiwise, Sliction 404 and the
<br />Act wot!llcf,"stand on their own.'
<br />:,~
<br />
<br />In addition to statements of findings and purpose,
<br />the legislative proposal contains provisions on
<br />state/federal wetland coordination,,'lstate wetland
<br />conservation"plans and strategies, state assumption
<br />of Section ,404 powers through formal as~umption
<br />
<br />"-;':
<br />
<br />pursuant to 404(g) or state general permits pursuant
<br />to 404(e) , regional and locai advance planning -of
<br />wetland areas, a national wetland restoration strategy, .
<br />technical assistance and cooperative training, and
<br />evaluation and field testing of management strategies
<br />and new approaches. The bill calls for grants to
<br />assist states in developing and implementing wetland
<br />conservation plans. It would promote partial
<br />assumption, in addition to full aSl!umption, based on
<br />formal agreements with EPA under the existing 404
<br />program or a state program 'general permit with the
<br />Corps of Engineers. Assumption would occur under
<br />a memorandum of agreement between EPA and the
<br />state, or the Corps and state, specifying the class or
<br />classes of permits to be issued, the situations where
<br />permit applications received by a state must be
<br />referred to EPA and/or the Corps, and annual review
<br />procedures- for permit applications, The bill would
<br />encourage regional and local planning with respect to
<br />wetland areas, and provide grant funds to carry out
<br />such planning and to encourage wetland protection
<br />program development on a watershed basis. Such
<br />programs would focus on broad water resource and
<br />land use planning and would identify sites with
<br />restoration potential. Also, such programs could
<br />qualify iocal governments for issuance of a general
<br />permit under Section 404(e).
<br />
<br />ASWM views the wetlands legislation as necessary .
<br />for a number of reasons. States and local
<br />governments need to 'tie' wetlands Into their pollution
<br />control and other watershed management efforts.
<br />Protection and restoration of wetlands, especially
<br />freshwater wetlands, requires a comprehensive water
<br />resources approach which is most practical at state
<br />and local levels. It will be impossible to achieve
<br />wetland-related CWA goals, including new initiatives
<br />to address non-point source pollution, unless
<br />Congress is willing to appropriate funds for staffing
<br />and other administrative matters. Wetland delineation
<br />criteria, permitting criteria, and management policies
<br />need to be tailored to local hydrologic and ecological
<br />conditions, Coordination of state, local and federal
<br />wetland regulations is necessary to reduce duplication
<br />in wetland delineation and permitting. Development.
<br />evaluation, and testing of practical and technically
<br />sound approaches for addressing existing national
<br />wetlands problems is essential prior to implementing
<br />wetland protection programs. For more information,
<br />contact ASWM at Box 2463, Berne, New York 12023;
<br />(518) 872-1804.
<br />
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<br />
<br />The WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL is an organization of representatives appointed by the Governors
<br />of member states - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado. Hawaii, Idaho, MOntana. Nevada, New Mexico, North
<br />DaJl&.a, OI'8Q9l1, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington,' and Wyoming, with Oklahoma as an associate member
<br />st8tEt ',. !r~"';t ,,,t<.~Ii-' .- ..':i>'. .
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